Forgotten Bliss
by Yusagi
Summary: CHAPTER 5 FINALE! Sephy's pissed! AS AU in Cetra timeline. 3000 years before FF7. Centra are alive and thriving, A young cetra falls in love with a palehaired boy from a neighboring villiage, but is their love destined to be?
1. Childhood Fantasies

Disclaimer: Don't own SquareEnix 

AN: this is a version of a story I made a loooooong long time ago, and my first step in my Cetra Trilogy, where I will try to show what they might have been like. Name suggestions for this are welcome

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**Forgotten Bliss**

_Part one_

"Don't cry...it's just a scratch."

She paused in her sniffling to look up at the voice's originator.

A young boy, perhaps a year older than her, stood in front of her with a small frown on his face.

The boy had feather-white hair, just barely long enough to brush his shoulders, with well-groomed bangs just reaching his high cheekbones, accentuating his brilliant emerald eyes.

"Who...are you?"

He smiled broadly, " My name's Sephiroth, I just moved to this villiage after my family took ill and died."

"H-Hi..."

He reached a pale hand down to help her up, " What's you name?"

She felt her cheeks growing hot as he helped her up, and she quickly looked down at the ground shyly.

"M-my name is Aeris..."

"You wanna be friends?"

Surprised, she glanced up at the boy, no one had ever asked to be friends with_ her_ before!

The pale haired-boy was grinning goofily, head cocked sideways.

"Uhm...sure."

"Great! Wanna go to my place and chow?"

She smiled slightly, she thought she liked this boy.

"Sure...sounds good."

"Alright!"

Laughing, he gripped her hand tightly, and ran off in the direction of his house.

"So... whatcha' doin' now?" He asked, squatting on his toes attentively.

She laughed as she looked over at him, he never left her alone for a minute! Not a minute!

"I'm making a dress for a friend...she has a Dance tomorrow."

"What's that?"

She sighed, smiling. "When a girl comes of age, she goes before a _thousand_ suitors, and gives a graceful, beautiful, dance. She puts everything she has into the Dance, and then the man whom she is destined to love picks her, and they get married!"

Sephiroth frowned, pursing his lips. " That sounds silly!"

"Oh, but it is so _romantic_!" She sighed dreamily, "I can't wait to Dance!"

"Well, what if two guys want to pick you?"

"Well...um...the one who will give the most of himself for the lady is the one who loves her the most!"

"Ah."

She sighed, and shook her head. "Boys...they never understand."

"Aeris..." He said suddenly, leaning close to her.

"Y-Yes?"

"When you Dance...I'll give the most." He said, "I would pick you."

"I-I-It's not for six years yet!" She stuttered, cheeks blazing.

"I don't care." He shrugged, "Time doesn't change anything."

"B-but, Seph...the man who picks the woman...he's gotta love her..."

"I know...you told me."

"And he's gotta protect her..."

"I can do that." He insisted.

"...And he has to take care of her no matter what!"

"I will!"

He leaned in so close to her she felt sure her heart would stop.

"Aeris, I promise I'll love you to the day I die!" He said solemnly. " I'll pick you when you Dance, you'll see!"

She gasped and could only stare at him for what seemed an eternity. Sephiroth, her faithful playmate, had just proposed to her!

She was only 10!

Sephiroth closed his eyes suddenly, and pressed his lips against hers.

She was certain her heart stopped then, the world froze for a moment, and she was sure her cheeks would explose in flame any moment.

He pulled away after an instant, blushing finally, and scurried away.

She sighed, touching her lips with her fingertips.

_My first kiss..._

_AN: Yup, another A/S fic_

Yusagi Sombermoon


	2. Dancing Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own SquareEnix...here's a hint, can you easily pronounce my name? Yes...? _then I can't own it!_Now skedattle and read my fic.

AN: Sorry I took so long to update this! i don't know what came over me! Bright side: I've already finished is on paper, so it can't take too long to keep updating, right? down side: Oh yess it can...

Kim: Thanks..

A reader: Yup. But this one isn't so happy...

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_Forgotten Bliss_

**Chapter 2:_ Dancing Darkness_**

"Aeris! Aeris!" Sephiroth called from outside her room, laughing. "Come out of there _right now!_"

"No!" She cried stubbornly, "I'm not letting you see me in it! It's bad luck!"

"Oh, come on, Aeris! Don't make me come in there!"

"You touch the door and I'll scream!"

"And when has _that _stopped me, dearest darling?" He replied, knocking on the door once more.

"Seph! Stop it!" She cried, trying to mask her amusement with hysteria.

"I need to see you before the ceremony! Let me in already!" he insisted, "Please, Aeris?"

She sighed after a moment, "Alright...but only a minute!"

"_Finally!_"

Without even a preemptive knock, he burst in, an antagonized grin on his face. His long silvery hair swung slightly, as he entered, and his black silk shimmered fantly in the dim light, mirroring the beautiful blade belted at his waist. His eyes widened, and a small blush replaced his smile as his eyes ran along her very exposed curves.

She covered herself weakly with her hands, trying to add somewhat to the feeble protection offered by her audacious cerimonial dress, made purely of semi-translucent beads tied together with flimsy ribbons of gold silk, reaching up only barely enough to cup her breasts, and extending down barely enough to reach her hips.

"I did not let you come in here so you could ogle me!"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her.

"You know I will Pick you today."

She smile at him, "I know. You promised."

"I never break a promise."

"Why did you need to see me so much?"

His smile faded slightly, as he brushed a strand of her chestnut brown hair out of her face.

"There is a man attending..." he said quietly, "A foreigner...a Human..he is rich, and I do not trust him."

"I don't need to worry about that. You are the one for me."

"You realize...he is very well-to-do..I don't know if.."

"You promised you would give anything..." She reminded, tapping him on the nose softly.

"Yes...and I wll...I would give my very soul if I had to.." he nodded, hugging her close to him. "I love you, Aeris."

"I love you, too."

_OOOOOOO0000ooooo_

"Aeris. It's time." he mother smiled, "Go out there and make an impression for our guest...it is his first Dance."

"No." She replied, shaking her head firmly. "I Dance only for Sephiroth!"

Her mother smiled reassuringly, giving her a squeeze. "You knock his socks off!"

She nodded, and walked onto the gilded stage, steadying herself her the moves she had beentraining herself all of her life_. WithSephiroth...always with Sephiroth..._

The lifestream barrier encircling the stage in ablazingdance of nature yet screened her movements to the viewers and hopeful suitors.

"Only for you..."

In an instant, the lifestream barrier was ripped away, and the music began.

At first it was slow,but the music and rythm quickly sped up,tambourines and _myosians _keeping the beat hyper. Aeris did not think of her moves as shedanced, the kicks, leaps, twirls, and undulations came as if they were born in her, waving gracefully in chime with the numorous ribbins and streamers trailing behind her.

Her eyes easily picked out her beloved's face, he had a silly grin plastered on his face,and his eyes were entranced, absorbing her every move, memorizing it, making it apart of him.

She kepther eyes locked on his at all times, trying desperately to ignore the icychill rending through her, coming from the coldeyes of the stranger in the front.

_Don't look at him...Don't look andhe'll leave you alone_... She only barely kept adespairing frown offherface_, Oh, Seph! You have to choose me!_

_OOOOOOO0000ooooo_

Her every move enthralled him, he could not have looked away for a moment, even if he wished to. She moved as if she were born for this one Dance, perfectly in sync with the music, complementing it, even making it seem as if the music could not exist without her.

He kept his eyes on her lovely emerald ones, cheering her on, allowing her to draw strength from him. The Dance sapped all of her strength, as she contiued on and on through the hour she seemed to grow more and more desperate, beads of sweat forming all across her body...but she did not even once falter in her step.

Finally, with the suddenness that had brought the music, there was silence, and Aeris collapsed into a graceful heap. The sweat that beaded all across her skin and shimmered in the light of the lifestream only served to exemplify her beauty.

"Tell me, now...who is destined to love this woman?" The father asked

"I am." Sephiroth said instantly.

To his chagrin, the foreigner said the same thing, standing at the same instant as Sephiroth had.

"And what shall you offer for love?" The man asked, "Who shall open the Claim?"

"Ten Thousand gil." the man said.

_OOOOOOO0000ooooo_

Aeris shivered as she glanced up from hre position on the floor, only two men had dared to try to claim her. Sephiroth and the stranger...all others feared what Sephiroth might do if they were to fight him for his love. Sephiroth indeed offered everything of himself, his material goods soon depleted.

All the stranger seemed able to offer was an overabundance of monay and 'power'--as if the Head of the villiage needed such things!

Monetary offerings rarely held as much sway as offers from your soul--this was no slave market, after all--a Suitor could sell himself into slavery, or even offer up his life as a sacrifice in exchange for eternal bliss with his beloved. Of course, such offers were often pardoned after the deal was made--though occassionally they were not.

She could not wipe the dreamy smile off her face, as she watched Sephiroth battling for her. He had studied this ceremony all of his life, preparing himself for this moment...he looked absolutely brilliant!

"Enough!"

Aeris almost jumped in spite of herself from the suddenness of her father's proclamation...usually a truly heated debate such as this would last much longer.

"I need not hear one more word." Her father said assuredly, "It is quite obvious to me who is destined to love my daughter here."

Swallowing the butterflies in her stomach, she looked down at the floor again nerviously. _..This is the moment we've lived for...Father knows how much it means to us...I have spoken of it so often to him...yet this all seems so surreal...so fantastical..._

Her mind called up pictures of what would come next...a smile...falling into his arms...he would be showering her withkisses...awedding sobeautiful...children...yes...many children running and playing in the village_...They'll look just like him..._

"Thus the deal has beenseal,in word and in soul, the hand and heart of my daughter shall forever more rest withher most beloved...maythey eternally find bliss.."He father nodded slightly, before continuing, "May your souls find joy together, Mr. Shinahara."

_What?_

**CH end**

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AN: Again I warn you...this is a _very_ graphically violent book, and there is some vulgar sexual content in it, as well. So, what do you think? Predictable, eh?

Check out **_Fate_**: My longest running fic! Aer/Seph semi-A/U happy(kinda) stuff! Epic!

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	3. Shattered Bliss

Disclaimer: Don't own SquareEnix...you should be happy about that...

AN: Chapter three, why the heck not? I should finish this darn thing. That'd make a whopping 2 fics finished!(not including Alone series which isn't technically finished)

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_Forgotten Bliss_

**Chapter 3:_Shattered Bliss_**

She heard an intake of breath. Was it her? Was it the crowd, perhaps? The very _planet_?

She wanted to laugh, to cry, _This isn't real! Just a pre-ceremony nightmare! This cold that's biting into me...the pain thats eating away my insides...the silence that is so complete in this world...not one sound anywhere in the world...so sudden...this has to be a dream!_

In the total silence that cloaked the area after the shocking announcement, the sound of her tears splashing on the ground below her resounded like tiny explosions.

_A dream...A dream! It...it has to...it has to be..._

Her throat caught in a suppressed sob. _My father...my father..the man I thought I could always trust...betrayed me..._

_OOOOOO000000ooooo_

It seemed unreal at first, a mistake perhaps...but there could be no mistakes..no second chances...the first name spoken by the father is the man to wed...nothing around it. Sephiroth knew the rules only too well.

The many suitors who had not the gall to offer for Aeris' hand against Sephiroth sat in silence behind him, too shocked to even remember to breath. It was no secret the love the young couple harbored for one another.

The soft sobbing of Aeris seemed to reach only his ears, her once graceful pose was reduced to a crumpled heap. _I should do something...say something...break this terrible spell of cruel reality..._

And then, the silence was shattered by a single, earsplitting screech. "_FAAAAATTTTHHHHEEEEERRRRRRRR!"_

_OOOOOO000000ooooo_

_It's over...it's all over...everything I've lived for...so passionately dreamed for...anihilated in one breath.. _She was sobbing uncontrollably now. _I _can't_! I can't marry _him_! I want Sephiroth!_

"Aeris...Aeris, please...stop crying..."

She froze, that soft voice, pained with restrained tears...it could only be..

"I--I'm sorry, Please stop it...I...I don't understand how he could do this..." He stuttered, struggling for any words at all through the thickness of his throat.

"Oh, _Sephiroth!_" She sobbed, turning around and flinging herself into his arms, "You _promised! _Y-You promised you would...y-you _did_!"

"I---I _know_! I'm...I'm _so sorry!" _He cried, holding her tightly, perhaps more tightly than ever before. "I...I broke my promise to you, and _nothing _I can do will ever make up for that! not even just a little bit! But...but...but...I...I still...still..."

"Oh..._why_? Why did this have to happen to us?" She wept into his shirt, "What have we done? We have never gone against the planet, we have not rebelled against authority...we did not even violate the marriage bed--despite the fact that those around us tried to tempt us into doing so!"

"I...I cannot say, Aeris...a-all I can say is..Dance or now...you are still the only woman I will ever love...and nothing will change that."

She looked up into his beautiful emerald orbs solemnly, "Let's run away...go somewhere were we can be together! I don't care about this place anymore! I won't live without you!"

"You would throw all you have away?" He asked, bewildered, "What of your duty to the Planet?"

"What _of_ it? It cares nothing for me!"

"Do not say such a thing! What about everything you've done for it? You've spent your life serving it!"

"And it has scorned me in return!" She paused, indescision tearing her insides to shreds, "Are you so attached to this place that you would turn your back on me? Why won't you leave with me?"

"That's not it!" He insisted, shaking his head, "I'll go anywhere you go, regardless of consequences, I'll follow you to the end of time!"

"Seph..."

"I love you..." He whispered, kissing her softly.

"This...is an _outrage_!" Came the roar of her father.

In an instant, the both of them spun toward the big man. His face was purpled with rage as he scowled at Sephiroth.

"_You!_" He spat, pointing an accusing finger at Sephiroth, "How _dare_you attempt to seduce my daughter--to touch her when you are not her beloved!"

"No! He _is _my beloved! To me there can be no one else!"

"Nonsense! He could not prove his love for you, and thus it is not true! Your union is not pure!"

"_No-_"Aeris began, but she felt Sephiroth put a gentle hand on her shoulder, staying her words.

"Indeed. By your regulations I am not her 'true love'...but know this...I have watche dover her since I was a child, defended her against even the slightest danger or offence..even given my life up to training to ensure hre well-being. I would go anywhere and do anything to protect her...to know that she is safe and content.." He said in a softly, perhaps a touch too quiet. "I ask you...what can that man offer her? What is he willing to offer? Pretty jewels in a pretty house in some over-populated over-polluted slab of 'city'...if she is lucky, perhaps he will give her the honor of producing him an 'heir' before he tires of her."

"Silence! I have heard enough!" The man barked. "Guards! Come in here at once!"

Immediately, several personal guardsmen--compliments of Shinahara--appeared in the doorway.

"Escort Aeris to the dressing room, we have little time before the ceremony!"

"Immediately, sir!" The leader nodded, and walked up to her, "Please come with us, Lady Shinahara."

"No!" She snapped, "I am _not _lady Shinahara!"

"Well, whatever you wish to call yourself, my orders are the same."

"Too bad for you! I'm staying with Sephiroth!"

"Take her however you need to! _Without_ the boy!"her father ordered.

"No! Let me go: She insisted,wrestling against the guard's irongrip.

"Surely youneeded be so rough!" Sephiroth called, anguished.

"Stay out of this,boy...you don't want to start this fight."

"Nnooo! Sephiroth!" She cried, wrenching herselffree enough to reach for him.

For just a moment, she caught a glimpse of her beloved's sad, beautiful, emerald eyes...pain wasmirrored in them, indesicion and anger seemedblendedwithin as well...he had sworn before never to harm her family...why exactly was lost to her.Then again, with his strange sense of honor, she realized she may never have known when or why.

"Seph..."

_OOOOOO000000ooooo_

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Sephiroth said coldly, "Leaving your own daughter to such pain and misery."

"Heh, you flatter yourself too much! She will be over you in two months tops."

"You're assuming she lives that long."

"Are you _threatening_ my daughter?"

"You stupid old fool! I would never harm Aeris!"

"Hah! You already have!" the man laughed, "Your presence and constant insistance on pushing her to break her vows is tearing her apart!"

"I did not tell her to break her vows." He said, "But perhaps I _have _hurt her as you say."

"Eh? You admit it?"

"What more is there to say? Save the fact that the pain caused indirectly by my love for her is nothing compared to the pain you are so directly inflicting on her now."

"How dare you speak of such things to me, when you would not lift a finger to help her from her supposed 'pain' earlier!"

"You and I both know if I were to try to rescue her, you people would huntuslike animals, relentlessly, until the day we finally die." Sephiroth replied bluntly, "Once again, the pain I inflict isonly indirect--a direct cause of your grossly inappropriate actions that caused hre pain originally."

"I have no time for this, I must helpget my daughter ready for the ceremony."

"You selfish little scum." Sephiroth spat, "All you care about are the 'things' given to you by that slimeball!"

"I care very much about my daughter!"the man yelled back, "And Iintend tomake certain that she looks flawless on her wedding day!"

**CH end**

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AN: aw, so mushy.There is something to besaid about not worrying about OOCness. Anyway, next chapter...is very...very... scarily violent--and I'm theonethat wrote it! 0.o

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	4. Night of Terror

Disclaimer: I do not own FF7

AN: 'Ey! I'm here! Time..for violence...wooo..LOTS of violence, and some implied rape. You've been warned.

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_Forgotten Bliss_

**Chapter 4: _Night of Terror_**

"Please, stop crying...you're ruining your makeup." Her mother pleaded softly.

"I don't care."

"Aeris...think about this, you have done nothing but look forward to this moment all your life! _Every _girl does!"

"I wanted to be with Sephiroth!"

"Not everything turns out the way we wanted." She whispered, hugging Aeris. "But that doesn't mean we can just run away from everything we don't like. Sometimes we have to stand up to our problems and face them head on."

"How?"

"For the sake of those around us, sometimes we have to accept things we don't necessarily agree with. Like this marriage...this isa foreigner, what will he think if you back out and prove your father's word meaningless?"

Aeris stared silently at the floor, knowing her mother's words were true.

"Also, what would it say of our people, the Cetra?" Her mother pressed. "That we are hypocrits that scoff at our own tradition and cerimony whenit suits us?"

"I...I'm sorry, Mother."

"Honey, I didn't want to marry your father,either." She said in a confiding whisper. "But now I love him more than anything. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have you!"

"I...it's not going to be that way for me..." Aeris whispered. "I'll never stop loving Sephiroth."

"Maybe..." Her mother conceded. "But if Sephiroth is really the person you think he is, he'll understand this...he won't blame you, Aeris."

"I..."

"Go on now, everyone's waiting for you."

Aeris sighed, and bowed her head in defeat.

_This is what has to be_

_---_

She looked glorious in her wedding dress, shockingly golden with many complex layers. It was perfect, her hair was done up in impossible braids, and a beautifulveil barely hid her face.

The man who had won her stood at the end of the path, an insufferable smirk on his face.

_Sephiroth, where are you?_

All too soon, she made it to the man, and the ceremony began.

---

She was beautiful. She stood regal next to the slime that had bought her, she was going to accept this marraige now...for her family she had sacrificed her own personal interests. She was so noble...but was it all for naught? In the end, was this really for the best?

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she was not the only one in pain today...

He turned away silently as the cerimony ended. This was the end.

_Now I can be no more._

"Sephiroth!"

He could not heed her cries this time, for her safety he needed to leave. This time there would be no turning back.

---

When the cerimony finally ended, Aeris saw Sephiroth's retreating form in the corner of her eye.

_Seph!_

Heedless of those around her, she bolted afterhim, calling out frantically. He acted as if he did not hear her, only retreating faster.

"Wait! Please!"

He turned a corner, and she hurried after him, hoping to catch him at a dead end. When she got there, he was nowhere to be found.

"Seph..."

_He left...we...we're over..._

Suddenly weak, she fell to her knees, tears running freely down her cheeks.

"Daughter..." Her mother whispered, kneeling next to her and enfolding her in a hug.

"He's gone...he's gone..."

"Aeris...you know he had to go...the longer he was here, the longer you both would hurt."

"I want him with me!"

"Shh..I know that, Baby, but we can'talways get whatwe want." Her mother replied, hugging her tightly. "At least you had him for a little while..."

"M-mom..."

----

The man gave her a level look as he locked the door. "Alright, girl, I've read up on your cerimonies, so don't think you can con me out of what I bought you for."

"N-no...you didn't buy me..." She said nervously. "Please...just...give me some time."

"Why should I?"

"Our Night doesn't have to be the first one...not if the bride is too nervous." Aeris insisted. "The man should love the woman enough to understand..."

"Don't give me that!" The man snapped. "There is only one reason I bought you--and _yes,_I did buy you. I made an offer and money was exchanged; you are nowmy property--had nothing to do with 'love', girl!"

"N-no! Please, don't!"

"Silence!" He barked, walking toward her.

"_No! _Don't do this!"

"Those guards I 'gave' your father can easily kill him." The man threatened, continuing his approach. "If you fight me, I will order them to 'eliminate' your precious family!"

"_N-No! _No! I _beg you_!" She sobbed, backng into the corner.

"I swear, one more noise outta you, and I will personally gut everyone in this villiage!"

Hot tears stung her eyes as he pressed her roughly against the wall and leaned down toward her to kiss her. At the last instant he bit her lip instead, drawing blood. Unable to stop herself, she cried out in pain and fear.

The man grabbed her shoulders painfully and slammed her against the wall multiple times. "Shut up, wench!" He hissed angrilly. "I won't warn you again!"

Choking back sobs, she closed her eyes in fear as he undid her dress. The man grabbed her face without warning, and slammed the back of her head against the wall once more.

"Did I say you could close your eyes, whore!" The man yelled, fingers digging into the soft flesh of her cheeks.

Trembling, she opened her eyes and looked into his deranged smile, despite her best efforts, a terrorized sob escaped her throat. The man's face darkened, and he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her toward him so that she was oless than an inch away from his face.

"You don't learn fast, do you, witch?" He hissed, then withdrew a knife from his shirt. "Now, perhaps you'll cooperate?"

Aeris could not hold it any longer, and broke down into tortured sobs. "_Sephiroth! Please! Where are you!"_

The man's eyes blazed a moment, then her cheek exploded in pain and she was falling to the floor.

----

Sephiroth sighed as he looked out across the lake. So peaceful...the lake reflected the starry sky perfectly. No star could shine so brilliantly as Aeris' smile, no lake could be as peaceful as he felt looking into her eyes...he fought away the tears threatening to escape him, and shook his head violently.

He had to see her one last time.

----

She stared up in silence at the dark, her numerous wounds stung her, and her tears ran patterns in the dirt and blood on her face. He had not cut her initially as she had thought he would...no...he left that for his fun.

She shuddered and fought down a sob.

The man snored rudely beside where she lay, his prized knife hidden away.

_**"I don't want you killing yourself yet..." He sneered. "In a week or so when I tire of you, maybe..."**_

_**He thought it was so funny he laughed a long while afterward, then leapt up and clubbed her across the head with his fist, because she had not laughed as well.**_

_What did I do to deserve this? _She thought miserably, coughing down a sob.

"Shut up!" The man hissed from beside her, elbowing her hard. She barely suppressed a whimper at his action--he had hit a place bruised from earlier that night.

The thought of earlier that night brought an onrush of unpleasant memories to surface...his disgusting grunts, painful pinching...his sick sense of humor. She did not even realize she was crying until the man's hand closed about her throat.

She looked up in horror at the man's dangerously glittering eyes, he looked utterly psychotic.

"Shut up! You wanna cry? _Do it in the bathroom!_" The man screamed, flinging her off of the bed onto the hard floor.

She barely suppressed a groan as she landed, and crawled pitifully toward the bathroom, trying vainly to ignore the man's mocking laughter.

As she made it to the bathroom, she pulled herseld up to a semi-crouch with great difficultly, ans shut the door. Lighting the candle, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was crusted in dry blood, and covered in nasty bruises--barely even recognizable anymore. The sight caused her to break down into tears.

It was some time beore she was able to look up at the mirror again, and the sight was still sickening.

_What have I become?_ She thought miserably. _I can't do this! I can't go through this one more night--let alone the rest of my life! Sephiroth...where are you?_

A sob escaped her lips and she was forced to look away from the mirror once more.

Something caught her eyes.

The ceramic wash basin that had been on the counter was knocked to the floor when she had pulled herself up the first time, and had shattered into several pieces. She stared at it a moment, then slowly knelt to pick up a chunk the size of her hand. The piece was surprisingly sharp, and it cut into her hand as she grasped it tightly.

_With this...I wouldn't have to last another night...I could end it now..._

Memories of his wheezing laugh came fresh to her, and she shuddered in disgust.

_No...that's not enough...I won't let him get away with this...not ever..._

She could hear him snoring again in the bedroom. She stared at the piece a moment, contemplating it, then slowly rose to her feet, and shakily walked into the bedroom. Before she realized it, she was standing before him, next to the bed. The man snored loudly in his sleep.

Simply his sight brought horrible memories to the surface, and her pain quickly melted into hatred as she raised her arms above her head, trying futilely to keep her breathing steady as her whitehot anger intensified.

She let loose a scream as she plunged the makeshift weapon into his chest. The man's eyes flew open an instant before the ceramic blade shredded his heart. For a moment the man struggled with her as she stabbed him over and over, revelling in the blood that splattered everywhere, then his eyes slowly glazed from anger and fear into an empty stare.

Aeris stabbed him several more times afterward, screaming in rage, before finally backing away from him. Blood bubbled up out of his mouth and nose, and spurted out of his numerous gashes, soaking the bed utterly, and splattering the walls, floor, and even ceiling.

Aeris panted desperately, as she wrapped a white robe around herself. The cloth was immediately soaked with the blood that slicked her entire body.

"What...What have I done?" She gasped, stumbling backward. "_Sephiroth!_"

Panicked, she raced out onto the balcony. Cold wind blew on her face feircely, whipping her hair about wildly.

"They'll believe me, won't they, Sephiroth?" She asked quietly, tears running down her cheeks. "I had no choice..."

_But a chosen wife never has the right...never...I'll be killed...it's law...nothing can stop it...noone would want to anyway..._

A sob wracked her body as she looked up at the full moon.

"I only wanted to be with Sephiroth! That's all! Why, Planet, why?"

No answer came.

"I'm sorry, Sephiroth."

**CH end**

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**AN:**So...cliffhanger...what do you think will happen? Do you still like how things are headed now, Lamica? >.

Interestingly, as I was looking for the papers to this fic...I found another interesting one...something to do with Cloud switching bodies wit Seph to save Aeris...might start writing that again...what do you think?

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	5. Hollow Vengence

Disclaimer: Definitely down own Square Enix, or we'd know SO much more about the Cetra!

AN: Final chapter! Can you believe this was originally a one-shot? Freakishly long for one IMO...VV /cries/

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_Forgotten Bliss_

**Chapter 5: _Hollow Vengence_**

_One last time, even asleep, and then I'll leave..._ He promised himself, as he reaced through the forest to Aeris' home with ever increasing speed. When he neared the edge of the forest, he saw something falling from the high balcony where Aeris' room was, a white cloak fluttering gracefully behind it.

"A-Aeris? _NO!"_

There was no thought as he ran down the steep slope to the bottom of the cliff where she was falling, all that mattered was reaching her in time. Before he was even halfway there, she landed with a sickening crunch.

"_AEERIIISSS!_" He screamed, leaping to where she landed. Her beautiful, oh so beautiful, emerald eyes stared up at him unseeing, and blood ran out of her mouth onto her chin. Her limbs were at odd angles, and sharp rocks protruded from her arms and legs, yet the amount of damage that covered her slim body could not have all been caused by the fall.

"Aeris..." He whispered, gathering her frail body in his arms. "No...I...I can't...this can't be...you're...you were...you were so happy...yesterday you were laughing and joking and dancing with me!_ This can't be!_"

Sobbing, he buried her face in her hair and wept. _I failed her...I failed her again!_

Slowly, he looked up at the balcony she had fallen from...whoever did this to her would pay...they would _all _pay!

Screaming in fury, he drew his katana and leapt into the nearest window.

----

He shuddered as he heard gurgled screams coming from outside his room.

"What have I done to her?" He whispered. "My own daughter..."

Even his wife looked at him with disgust now...and rightfully so, he had sold out his own daughter...his only daughter...for such a pitiful price. He considered the gun that Shinahara had given him as part of the dowry. There were at least a few bullets in it.

He picked up the gun and looked at it a moment, before carefully cocking it, and pointing it toward his forehead.

"I don't think so." Came an icy voice from out of nowhere. "That's my job."

---

Blood soaked the black clothes he wore, and his blade shimmered a dark crimson. He had slaughtered anyone in his path. The fat father now quivered fearfully ashe looked up at Sephiroth's towering frame.

"Murderer." He hissed softly.

The pig of a man could not even open his mouth before his head was sailing to the floor, smoothly cut from his obese body.

Aeris' mother opened the door to the bedroom, bleary-eyed. "Husband--" She cut off in a scream as the man's head rolled into the wall near her, decorating the drab white with brilliant crimson.

She did nothave a chance to look upbefore she suffered her husband's fate.

A servant screamed down the hall, and bells began to ring throughout the village.

A slow smirk spread across his pale lips, now splattered with the dying blood of his victims. _Good...let them wake...let them try to stop me...they will all fall...they will all pay for allowing that scum to enter here!_

His laughter was far beyond theboundaries of sanity as he felt his blood rush in anticipation of the slaughter. _This whole village will burn._

Still laughing darkly, he raced out of the room into more horrified servants.

--

Callously, he kickied the boy from his sword. That was the last of them. No one remained living in this village to tell this dark tale but himself.

Blood drenched his clothes and matted his silver hair, both his own and villager's. He had killed everyone with ease, but he still had his fair share of injuries...he was no superman that could fight off an entire village and come out unscathed...he could barely even stand anymore due to his loss of blood.

He found himself standing at the cliff facing the balcony where Aeris had fallen. Rain poured down in vain attempt either to quench the fire raging across the wood and stone huts, or to cleanse him of his blood.

"Aeris..."

The word brought to memory obscure memories...her smile...her laugh...her innocent beauty and indominitible spirit. She was so perfect...she had always forgiven everyone with a smile and a laugh, shrugging off the most grevious offenses as if they were nothing, and stubbornly refusing to allow him to avenge her honor.

And yet...he had found Shinahara so brutally murdered...and Aeris...she...

_What did he do to her? What did _I, _in my selfish desire to run away, allow him to do to my beloved? _Uncharacteristic tears welled in his eyes as he caught sight of Aeris' borken body still lying at the base of the cliff, sparkling emerald eyes staring up at him sadly.

"I didn't save you..." He whispered softly. "I wasn't there...I didn'tdo anything...none of it matters...you're still..."

He looked down at his blood-stained hands numbly. "What have I done?" He was trembling as he shook his head. "I didn't...I didn't _avenge anything_!

The memory of Aeris' mother floated in the back of his mind...she had supported Aeris through everything...she had no control over her husband's actions. Whenhe himself hadbroken hispromise and abandoned Aeris, her mother was still there...trying to comfort her.

"I...betrayed you...Aeris...I'm so _sorry_!" He sobbed,falling to hisknees. He felt light, as if he had no weight at all.

_**"Sephiroth..."**_

"Aeris...?"

**_"Sephiroth..."_**

He looked down to where he heard her voice comingfrom. She stoodfar below him, arms outstretched with a soft smile on her face.

**_"Come to me, my beloved."_**

"Mybeloved!" Blissfully, he flew to the warm arms of his beloved.

He did not even feel the rocks below.

_...And so the story was lost._

**END**

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**AN: **HAHA! I proved you wrong, Black Malva. :P

I kind of wanted to include an epilogue with Gast finding an obscure legend about this...and thus he and Hojo got the names...but...it seemed like it would detract from the story--so I reduced it to one line at the end.

Also, I wanted to include more with them together and all that...but the story was just too short to fit that. So there! Never say I don't finish my work anymore!

-Yusagi Sombermoon


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